AeroLogic 777 Cuts Off Departing American A321 At LAX

The crew of a departing American Airlines flight got a scare on Sunday night at Los Angeles after a cargo aircraft crossed their path at the same time.

The incident which happened on September 28, 2025 involved an American Airlines Airbus A321-200 operating flight 2453 from Los Angeles (LAX) to Boston (BOS), and an AeroLogic Boeing 777 Freighter operating flight 619 from Shanghai (PVG).

The American Airlines aircraft was cleared for takeoff and started its roll around 10:35 p.m. Around that time, the AeroLogic 777 cleared the adjacent runway 25 Left via taxiway H9 to join taxiway H. Usually AeroLogic aircraft would make a left turn onto taxiway A as the DHL and Lufthansa cargo ramps are all the way to the south east end.

However, the tower controller instructed them to turn right onto taxiways H9 and H after exiting the runway, citing a partial closure of taxiway A. While I don’t have the exact NOTAM to confirm which part was closed, my guess is they would either be routed further north along taxiway B or south along taxiway A and have them do some crisscrossing before getting back to the south side.

Credit: FAA

The tower controller later told them to turn onto taxiway Q and were eventually cleared to cross 25L to join taxiway A. They were also advised to do so expeditiously as there as another arriving aircraft just four miles from touchdown for 25L.

Unfortunately, the AeroLogic crew turned right onto runway 25R, creating a conflict with the departing American Airlines A321. ATC picked up on the incursion quickly, first telling the AeroLogic pilots to stop, shouting “German Cargo 619, Stop!”

It was already too late as they entered the runway, replying, “We are on the runway.”

ATC then told the American crew to cancel their takeoff clearance. According to tracking data, the A321 reached speeds close to 170mph before performing a rejected takeoff.

An initial report by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) put the aircraft about 5,200 feet apart from each other (just below 1 mile).

“AeroLogic Flight 619 crossed a runway at Los Angeles International Airport without authorization as American Airlines Flight 2453 was taking off. Air traffic control instructed the American crew to cancel their takeoff. The event happened around 10:35 p.m. local time on Sunday, Sept. 28. The closest proximity of the two aircraft was approximately 5,200 feet.”

Based on the recordings that night, I can’t find any fault with the ATC’s instructions as they were clear and precise, with the AeroLogic crew accurately reading back each instruction. It’s surprising that even after receiving proper guidance, they managed to still make a wrong direction. The only thing I’d fault the tower controller for was referring to the AeroLogic aircraft as “German Cargo 419” rather than “German Cargo 619”, but given that the correct aircraft responded every time, I don’t think it played in factor in the matter.

My only guess is that the initial request to exit the runway on the right (rather than the expected left), along with the pressure of trying to cross the runway quickly, led to some kind of disorientation.

However, it’s no excuse as most modern airlines provide tracking apps to pinpoint exactly where an aircraft is while taxiing. If they didn’t feel comfortable with the crossing instructions, there’s no harm in remaining clear of the runway and trying again later.

Also, LAX has red and green light stop bars at runway crossings. With the American A321 already on the roll, the stop bars for 25R should have been red, providing additional clues to avoid crossing.

The American Airlines A321 returned to the gate, departing two hours later while the AeroLogic 777 made it safely to the ICC ramp.